Reheating and hot holding food
Reheating and hot holding are both about keeping food out of the temperatures where bacteria grow. The FSAI figures are short: reheat to 70 °C once only, and hold hot food at 63 °C or above.
The FSAI guidance in short
- Reheat until piping hot: 70 °C or above at the core.
- Reheat once only, after cooking or after hot holding.
- Hot hold at 63 °C or above, for example in a bain marie.
- Cooked food not kept above 63 °C should be used up within two hours of cooking.
- The danger zone is 5–63 °C. Bacteria grow best at about 25–40 °C.
These figures come from the FSAI’s temperature control advice for caterers and the FSAI Safe Catering pack. Your own plan sets your limits, and may be stricter.
Reheating
- Probe the core: the centre or thickest part of the food.
- Use a calibrated probe thermometer, accurate to at least ±0.5 °C.
- Clean the probe with antibacterial wipes before and after each use.
- Don’t reheat leftovers that have already been reheated.
Hot holding
- Get food to temperature first, then put it into hot holding.
- Serve the first batch first. Where possible, don’t mix batches.
- Probe the food itself, not just the unit’s dial.
- Check at the times your plan sets. The FSAI record has space for three checks per food.
When food drops below 63 °C
- Follow the corrective action in your plan.
- Remember the two-hour guidance: cooked food not kept above 63 °C should be used up within two hours of cooking.
- Reheating it counts as the one reheat it is allowed.
- If in doubt, throw it out, and write down what you did.
What to record
The FSAI Safe Catering records ask for:
- Reheating (SC3): the date, the food, the reheating core temperature and who did it.
- Hot holding (SC4): the date, the food, the time it went into hot holding, the core temperature at each check, any comments or action, and who signed.
- A manager or supervisor check of the records.
An out-of-range reading with the action written beside it is a good record. A blank or a tick is not.
Free printable logs: hot holding and cooking, reheating and hot holding. In Hygivo, hot-holding checks come with phone reminders, and a low reading asks what was done. Cooking and hot food in Hygivo.
See the FSAI’s temperature control advice. This is general information, not advice for your business. Your food safety management system (HACCP plan) and FSAI guidance are the reference. Hygivo is not affiliated with or endorsed by the FSAI.
Questions
What temperature should reheated food reach?
FSAI guidance is piping hot, at 70 °C or above at the core. Check it with a clean, calibrated probe thermometer in the thickest part of the food.
Can I reheat food more than once?
No. FSAI guidance is that food must only be reheated once following cooking or hot holding.
What temperature should hot-held food be kept at?
At 63 °C or above, for example in a bain marie. FSAI guidance is that cooked food not kept above 63 °C should be used up within two hours of cooking.
How often should I check hot holding?
Your food safety management system sets how often. The FSAI’s hot hold record (SC4) has space for a first, second and third core temperature check for each food, with a comments and action column.
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